Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A hinge for a notebook computer, comprising: an L-shaped seat ( 10 ) with an upright arm and a lateral arm, the seat ( 10 ) having a barrel ( 12 ) formed on the lateral arm, a passage ( 13 ) defined through the barrel ( 12 ) and a slot ( 14 ) defined in communication with a lower periphery of the passage ( 13 ); a pintle ( 20 ) having a shaft ( 23 ) formed at a first end of the pintle and extending in the passage ( 13 ) of the seat ( 10 ), a tongue ( 21 ) formed at a second end of the pintle, and a flange between the shaft ( 23 ) and tongue ( 21 ); a first tube ( 30 ) provided between the shaft ( 23 ) and the barrel ( 12 ) and adjacent to the flange, the first tube ( 30 ) having a first tubular part ( 31 ) with a first channel defined at an outer periphery of the first tubular part ( 31 ), a first opening ( 32 ) defined through the first tubular part ( 31 ), a first tab ( 34 ) extending downwards from the first tubular part ( 31 ), a first stop ( 33 ) formed at an end of the first tab ( 34 ) opposed to the flange, and a first arcuate lug ( 35 ) formed at a bottom of the first tub ( 34 ) and received in the slot ( 14 ); a second tube ( 50 ) provided between the shaft ( 23 ) and the barrel ( 12 ) and away from the flange, the second tube ( 50 ) having a second tubular part ( 51 ) with a second channel defined at an outer periphery of the second tubular part ( 51 ), a second opening ( 52 ) defined through the second tubular part ( 51 ), a second tab ( 54 ) extending downwards from the second tubular part ( 51 ), a second stop ( 53 ) formed at an end of the second tab ( 54 ) opposed to the flange, and a second lug ( 55 ) formed at a bottom of the second tub ( 54 ) and received in the slot ( 14 ); and a sleeve ( 40 ) provided outside the shaft ( 23 ) and between the first tube ( 30 ) and second tub ( 50 ), the sleeve ( 40 ) having a third tubular part ( 41 ) with a third opening ( 42 ), and two arcuate segments ( 42 ) formed at two opposed ends of the sleeve ( 40 ) and corresponding to the first and second stops ( 33 , 53 ).
2. The hinge as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the seat ( 10 ) has a plurality of threaded holes ( 11 ) defined through the upright arm.
3. The hinge as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pintle ( 20 ) has a plurality of annular recesses ( 24 ) defined at the shaft ( 23 ).
4. The hinge as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the pintle ( 20 ) has a plurality of apertures ( 22 ) defined through the tongue ( 21 ).
5. The hinge as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the slot ( 14 ) has an inverted T-like shape.
6. The hinge as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first arcuate lug ( 35 ) is protruded from a side of the first tab ( 34 ) opposed to the first channel and scalloped at a side of the first tab ( 34 ) facing the first channel; and the second arcuate ( 55 ) is scalloped at a side of the second tab ( 54 ) facing the second channel and protruded from a side of the second tab ( 54 ) opposed to the second channel.
Unknown
October 24, 2006
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.